If you’re a stock footage shooter or photographer, chances are you spend quite a bit of time thinking and planning about what to shoot next. To make your lives easier, here are 5 categories of footage that Shutterstock customers are currently seeking.
Keep checking back on the Contributor Blog for a series of articles that will go in-depth with tips and tricks for shooting in each category. And if you’re submitting content in any of these categories, please be sure to add #contentrequest in the “Notes” field when uploading your files.
1. Establishing Shots
One of the most popular requests we’ve been getting lately is for establishing shots. So, what exactly is an establishing shot? It’s usually the beginning shot of any new scene, designed to show the audience where the action is taking place. For example, an exterior shot of a apartment building before cutting to people inside the apartment:
Establishing shot by OrlowskiDesigns
Young woman working by Andersen Studios
2. Authentic, Diverse, Model Released Clips
Customers are always searching for high-quality model released footage to use in their projects. Two important qualities that customers seek in any model-released collection are authenticity (footage that looks realistic) and diversity.
Business team footage by Hotelfoxtrot
3. Model Released Sports Footage
Model released sports footage is specifically in great demand, as it’s harder to come by. Footage of athletes and fans are commonly used in advertisements, television shows, and films. It’s commonly used as “playback” footage, seen on a television or display when actors are watching sports in a home or bar.
A quarterback hikes the ball by Uberstock
4. Green Screen
Another popular request is for green-screen footage. When an object or subject is shot in front of a pure green background, that background can be replaced with whatever image the user wants. This makes green-screen footage great for all types of productions, from major motion pictures to local weather forecasts. Green screens are commonly used to place video on or within a piece of technology, as seen here:
Man holding a blank tablet by OrlowskiDesigns
5. Aerial Footage
A few years ago, if someone wanted to shoot aerial footage, they had to rent a helicopter or airplane (with a camera stabilizer), potentially costing thousands of dollars per day. Fortunately, affordable remote-controlled units called quadcopters (four rotors) and octocopters (eight rotors) are now on the market, allowing videographers to consistently shoot great aerial footage, with some quality units priced under $1,000.
Misty river in winter by Flystock
Our footage needs and requests are constantly changing at Shutterstock. To keep up to date on what we’re looking for and how you can contribute, be sure to follow @shutterstockreq on Twitter.
Interested in becoming a Shutterstock Footage Contributor? Sign up now »
Top image: Aerial shot of migrating elephant herd by Erwin Niemand